View full sizeVice President of University Relations Danielle Kennedy told Alabama State University students last month that ASU was not responsible for the placement of these signs in Montgomery following the governor's release of a preliminary report alleging wrongdoing at the school. (File photo)

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Alabama State University is demanding via court filings that the forensic auditor responsible for a report alleging financial wrongdoing at the university provide a host of sensitive documents related to the investigation.

The discovery request filed with the Superior Court of Los Angeles on Nov. 25 demands that Forensic Strategic Solutions of Birmingham give up all records provided to the firm by former ASU President Joseph Silver.

University trustees voted late last year to pay Silver $685,000 to
resign after just 13 weeks on the job. His separation agreement bars
both parties from revealing the reason for his departure.

But ASU also demands records provided to FSS by Joe Reed, the former chairman of ASU's board. Reed is not mentioned in the auditor's report, which alleges multiple conflicts of interest against two university trustees and one former trustee, more than $1 million in waste and attempts by the university to thwart the investigation.

Other names introduced by ASU's discovery request include Rep. Alvin Holmes, D-Montgomery, for whom ASU is seeking documents showing his financial relationship to the university.

Holmes, an ASU graduate and former instructor, was similarly not mentioned in the FSS report.

In a separate court filing, ASU asks FSS to admit that it failed to disclose to Bentley's office that its president, Ralph Summerford, was being sued by Synovus Bank for failure to make payment on a $3.4 million loan related to a Smith Lake residential development.

Summerford is one of two defendants in that suit. ASU also asks the firm to admit the ASU forensic audit was the largest single project performed by the firm in the preceding seven years.

Asked about the discovery requests, FSS released the following statement:

"Governor Robert Bentley engaged Forensic Strategic
Solutions, Inc. ("FSS") to conduct an independent financial forensics
assessment of Alabama State University, which FSS did. FSS, through its
legal counsel, will respond to ASU's accusations shortly in a court of
law. Out of respect for the legal process, FSS will not comment further
about any issue or party at this time."

ASU filed its lawsuit in October in a California court, alleging FSS lacked the technical expertise and resources to perform a meaningful audit of the university.

It also notes the state's history of racial discrimination, alleging
Gov. Robert Bentley and "other white Republicans" used the resignation
of former ASU President Joseph Silver seize control of the university.

Other documents demanded by ASU include all communications between Bentley's office and the forensic auditor, itemized billing records for the work provided by FSS and all correspondence between FSS and state or federal law enforcement.

They also include communications between FSS and Jim White Sr., a managing partner at Banks, Finley, White and Co., an accounting firm with offices in Birmingham, all documents related to Rep. John Knight, D-Montgomery, ASU's executive vice president and chief operating officer, and all FSS internal memorandum related to the audit.